Journalist Pietro Mazzara believes that Sergio Conceicao should take on very little blame for the defeat against Juventus, picking apart the flaws in the squad.
Just as it looked like a corner might have been turned after three wins and a draw in the first four games under Conceicao, a 2-0 defeat away against Juventus arrived which has really complicated the push for a Champions League place.
In truth it was fully deserved, too, as the Bianconeri’s second-half performance was far greater in energy, intensity and quality than that of their opponents, who were swallowed up by the counter-press and generated very few chances.
A report this morning stated that Conceicao told those close to him that he has ‘never coached a group with such little character’, which came after he questioned the hunger and desire of the players at full-time.
Mazzara published his weekly column on MilanNews in which he reacted to the damaging defeat in Turin on Saturday evening, insisting that it reflects a wider failure in squad construction.
“Monday sermon, with the acrid smell of Saturday’s defeat against Juventus still in the air, which was the mirror of many things that have been said for too long,” he began.
“Sergio Conceiçao made the synthesis of many thoughts when he spoke openly about the great difference between Juventus’ substitutes and those of Milan. End of broadcasts, a resounding and undeniable blow to the real overall quality of the squad at his disposal.
“Because the continuous search for objectives at a price tag that is always and in any case lower than certain figures (25 million) leads you to constant coin tosses. If you’re lucky, you get Reijnders and Fofana, but on the other hand, you risk having second lines of modest caliber that, consequently, lower the overall level of the team.
“It’s good to be careful, but now the pitch is presenting the bill. A change of mentality is needed on the management of the team and its construction. Because an incomplete team (for years) can risk not going to the Champions League and then there you have to run for cover trying to create budget coverage that allows you to limit the damage and not sell your big names.
“The reality of the facts tells us that Milan must conduct, already now, a much more summer-like than winter-like mercato. Investments are needed on strong players, you need to be aggressive on the objectives and not be held back too much by the salary structure of certain players.
“At a time like this and with a sterile attack made by a second striker (Morata), the former third striker of Roma (Abraham), the potentially strongest Italian centre-forward of the next 15 years (Camarda) and a foreign body (Jovic), a move is needed up front.
“Joao Felix doesn’t solve your goal problem, throwing Dusan Vlahovic, who has ended up on the margins of the Juventus kingdom, on the table of discussions with Juventus, now that could be interesting. Or go knocking on Napoli’s door and presenting yourself as the solver of the Osimhen problem.
“As you say, both earn tons of money in salary? It’s all true, but real strikers cost money. Even Santiago Gimenez of Feyenoord costs money and this physiological and technical need of the team cannot be postponed any longer.
“Just as it is clear that a midfielder is needed who can help Fofana take a break: the Frenchman, even against Juventus, arrived exhausted. And in the summer, other huge investments would be needed, also on Italian players to tidy up the lists given that Musah, if he stays, would enter the over [22 years of age] category in Serie A.
“Walker arrives regardless of Tomori, who at the moment does not want to go to Juventus and Conceiçao also does not want him to leave. For the Manchester City player, who yesterday was not in Guardiola’s squad list for the match against Ipswich, today should be the day of the conclusion with Milan who will send City the proposal for a paid loan (1 million) with an option to buy set at five.
“But will Walker arrive as a right-back, thus definitively rejecting Emerson Royal, or as a potential centre-back? Because even in the middle of the defence the numbers are short.
“Conceiçao is the least guilty of what was seen against Cagliari and Juventus, but he is the one who is always putting his face out there, saying things in a clear, sharp and non-confutable way. The hope is that the club gives him what he asked for and that it supports him in everything, even in a hypothetical summer revolution.”
I’m hopeful we can make the top 4, but if we don’t then there’s gonna be serious need for introspection. There’re things you avoid saying just so you don’t start the Maldini-Redbird war but I think the discrepancy between the Maldini era and the FurCada era is like the diffence between night and day in spite of the fact that Maldini made some errors.
I just hope we don’t go back to the banter era. That suffering was really hard to bear
Currently Atalanta is a bigger club than Milan. Not by history obviously but by transfers, the way they treat players, the amounts they ask as transfer fees for their players etc. Milan is not even a top 6 club in behaviour. This is a huge problem but a lot of media is writing like it is amazing to buy 20M wood to save another 10 or 15M. You can buy a piece of wood for 1€, you don’t need 10s of millions of €.
What you’re describing is a successful business model, how does that make them bigger? You do realize we weren’t really the most well structured club financially during the Berlu – Galliani era and there were a lot of “Atalantas” even then, right? You can’t win trophies by selling your best players, even if it’s for a profit.
I believe the defect in the Cardinale and existed directors management style.
Emerson should go to Galatasaray.
I also blame the way the management buys off fringe players from underperforming teams rather than stars from over achieving teams.
Conceicao still has credit built up and the excuse of “new”. However rent will be due in the next 4-5 league games I would say. Let’s hope there’s a marked improvement by then, if not …
If we don’t get midfielders by the next 2 games Fofana and Reijnders will almost die on the pitch with no one to sub in for either of them.
You can have Ancelotti, Guardiola and Klopp planning the formation and tactics together, no one is going to make things improve if there is simply no player to use…
“If we don’t get midfielders by the next 2 games Fofana and Reijnders will almost die on the pitch with no one to sub in for either of them.”
Unless they get injured before that. Still a few practices before the match. Anything can happen. 😛
“If we don’t get midfielders by the next 2 games Fofana and Reijnders will almost die on the pitch with no one to sub in for either of them.” 💯 FACTS!! I feel especially sorry for those two because they’ll get blamed that their performances are sub par while being overworked. Then you’ll get ppl who will say rest is not a thing smh 🤦♂️
As Stefano rightly said in the pub chat podcast, the project has failed.
We are in dire trouble and there is no obvious way out.
We don’t have room on the roster for foreigners and yet that is all we are after.
The squad is a complete disaster.
We still have signed nobody and we also need to sell to make room but that has not happened either
If walker comes in we need to get rid of Emerson, at least Calabria is on our homegrown list.
We need a LB.
We need a CM player, Ricci is Italian, get it done.
We need to get rid of RLC and possibly Musah, though I think he shud stay until summer.
Chucky needs to go and we need another winger to replace him, Trincao seemed a good solution as he plays both wings.
We need a striker
This is just the basic needs, we will need more in summer. If we play 3 in midfield, Fofana – Tiji – Ricci we have no backups.
Benny hopefully will get sharper and Musah is a body but that is very thin.
I just cannot believe the mess they have made of this squad
The technical project is definitely a failure so far, only seemingly getting worse than better. The financial project unsurprisingly is thriving. Revenues are up, profits are up and yet no reflection on the Sporting Side… The problem is that they are actually spending, but IRRESPONSIBLY.
I don’t know if anyone realizes how much money we’ve spent on sub-par players: 140mil plus another 50mil on their wages not counting bonuses…. Staggering…. And only 3 players of quality brought int – the coin flip that he’s talking about – Reijnders, Pulisic and Fofana.
Just a complete inaptitude from Zlatan. I don’t really blame Furlani or Moncada much because they need to be directed. But Ibra…. Dear God. And above all Cardinale who appointed him to oversee Milan after like what, 1-2 meetings?
It’s deeply disappointing having been on the cusp of the big time only 2.5 years ago.
I don’t think Zlatan has as much power as you think. Moncada is in charge of the sporting side.
Whatever the dynamic, it’s not working and there seems no future for this team.
If I was a player with ambition I would be looking for a way out. Sad